The Phoenix Suns get caught looking like a deer in headlights

Posted on Jan 17, 2013

The season as a whole has been a roller-coaster for the Phoenix Suns (13-28) and at times so can the individual games. After a rocky start to the game where the Suns found themselves down by double-digits, then up, and finally they were closed out by Milwaukee Bucks (20-18) for another loss, 98-94 in a flurry.

Early on the Suns hit the snooze button falling behind by giving up offensive rebound after offensive rebound to Larry Sanders. The team lacked energy early on as the starters could not find a rhythm digging another hole.

They seemed to find it in the second quarter as they outscored the Bucks 34-21, not with hot shooting, but rather with free-throws. Aside from a few explosive dunks by Shannon Brown (18 points) in the open court going 12-15 from the line in the second quarter was the gap closer the team needed. Those dunks were crowd pleasing and got Brown into an offensive groove leading the team in scoring with 16 points on the night.

That confidence manifested into some poor decisions early in the fourth as the Bucks came back creating a fight to close out the game.

After all, there was something very important on the line. The home winning streak against Milwaukee's finest basically coincided with my arrival on this planet. It has been 26 years -- 25 games exactly -- since the last time the the Bucks came into town and left victorious.

Monta Ellis (24 points) and Sanders (19 points 15 rebounds) fueled the comeback for the road team in the fourth quarter combining for (10) points late. The dagger came late in two fold as Sanders rejected Luis Scola on a typical Scola move that led to a Mike Dunleavey three with 57.4 seconds to go. Dagger.

This loss takes the Suns under .500 at home and drops them to the bottom of the Western Conference standings and into the fourth spot in the NBA Draft Lottery. So much for redemption, streaks, and a home court advantage this season.